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Acer
has used Intel's low-cost i3 processor to good effect in the Aspire 5741 to
create a well specified, mid-sized laptop with a very attractive price tag. Our
review model was supplied by Save on Laptops, where you can buy the 5741 for just £447.48.

Aspiring model

The
laptop is surprisingly portable for a 15-inch model -- it weighs in at a
relatively lightweight 2.5kg. It's thin, too, at just 34mm. Despite the budget
price tag, Acer has managed to bring a touch of style to the design. For
example, although the lid is made of plastic, it's finished with an industrial-style
cross-hatch pattern and aluminium paint job. The good looks continue when you flip
open the laptop, with a pleasing brushed metal effect on the wrist rest. This is
complemented nicely by the glossy finish of the screen surround.

The
screen itself is 15.6 inches in size and has a resolution of 1356x768 pixels,
which is pretty standard for budget laptops of this size. The display uses LED
backlighting and has a shiny finish, so colours look bright and in your face. The
laptop's black levels are impressively deep, which is somewhat surprising for a
budget display. This deepness makes movies look extremely rich and cinematic.
Acer has also integrated a webcam above the screen, which comes in handy for
making video calls with applications such as the preloaded Skype software.

The Aspire 5741's keys seem to float above the surface of the keyboard.

The
keyboard has flat keys, similar to those of an isolated key design. Rather than
looking as if they've been punched out of the chassis, the keys seem to float
above it as if they are suspended in air. The keyboard layout is excellent and
Acer has even found room to include a numerical keypad on the right-hand side. The
only real compromise is the half-sized cursor keys, but this isn't too much of
an issue. In saying that, the keys don't feel as solid as you might expect,
although they are quite springy and respond well to even light taps.